Perjure

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpɜːd͡ʒə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. To intentionally commit the act of lying under oath in a legal proceeding
2. To deliberately give false testimony when sworn to tell the truth in a judicial setting
3. To knowingly provide untrue statements while under legal affirmation

Etymology: "Perjure" comes from Old French "parjurer," which itself descends from Latin "periūrō." The Latin verb is built from "per-," meaning "through" or "thoroughly," and "iūrō," meaning "to swear" (the root of "jury" and "jurisdiction"). Put together, the sense is to swear thoroughly, or to swear falsely, breaking one's oath in the process. Latin speakers used "periūrāre" for the act of breaking a sworn promise, which is why the idea of a false oath sits at the very center of the word. The English verb carries that same sense of betrayed solemnity: to lie while bound by an oath. Its connection to "jury" is worth noticing, since a jury is itself a body sworn to tell the truth, and a witness who lies after taking the oath is exactly the figure the word was made to name.

Synonyms: lie, falsify

Antonyms: testify truthfully